Tuesday 18 February 2020 19:05, UK
Salford Red Devils have signed Ireland international Oliver Roberts on a season-long loan from Huddersfield Giants.
The 25-year-old, who represented Salford at scholarship level, joins fellow Huddersfield loanee Sebastine Ikahihifo in the Red Devils pack.
Roberts, who will be available for Saturday's match against Leeds Rhinos, said: "I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in with the boys. I know quite a few of them and they say really good things about [head coach] Ian Watson.
"I like his style of play and I think it'll suit me quite well. That was one of the main reasons I decided to come here.
"I want to have a good impact from my first game and bring something to the team, give them a bit of a boost."
Watson saw a lot of players who helped Salford reach the Grand Final last season - including 2019 Man of Steel Jackson Hastings - depart in the close-season and he believes the signing of Roberts will offer something different to his current squad.
"Oliver's a player who I've admired for a long time," he said.
"He really impressed for Huddersfield and in the World Cup and then it looked like he would kick on from there.
"We want to give him a place where he can play to his strengths. He's a big athletic guy, with leg speed and the ability to bust tackles and offload.
"He'll definitely bring a massive strength to our attacking game and defensively, his understanding means he'll add competition across the board.
"He's got a point to prove, like Seb did, and if he starts the same way then it's been a great signing, because Seb's been outstanding for us.
"It's really important that we've been able to bring someone of this calibre in at this stage."
